RTO Editor
A couple of beautiful things happened over the past two weeks: one was a couple of coyote gigs and the other was putting in for spring gobbler.
Nothing soothes the soul from midwinter cabin fever in Michigan like planning for turkey when the dogwoods bloom.
Ahhhhhhhh. Just saying, "spring gobbler season," brings warmth to my soul.
Yes, I went outside the box and applied for a unit where there are only 10 tags available, but if I do score I will be the only swinging Richard out there and that is very appealing. Last season was duel at the Sanilac County camp with another guy who has the personality like that of a squeaking styrofoam cooler in the backseat of the Jeep.
If it's not to be, then so be it. I'll live. The chucklehead won't make every gig I'm on, and the action is always fairly decent there. And if it heads in that direction again, I ought to pay a visit to Dairy Farmer Dave's just down the road, which has paid big dividends for me in thunder chickens and fall birds a few years back.
It's just that Dairy Farmer Dave can be a tad cantankerous at times.
***
Despite no coyotes being heard or seen, I was quite happy I finally got out on a predator hunt behind the
house Jan. 16 in Monroe County, Mich.
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RTO photo by Mac Arnold
For sure I thought a coyote would be
prowling up from the gully below just
like on the hunting show I saw the
night before. But alas, none showed.
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Even a couple inexplicably walking their dog in the adjoining field in the MIDDLE OF JANUARY didn't lower the happiness level. Well ... much. I'm sure that didn't help my cause. They are very wary. Something like that will close them down.
I didn't see any tracks headed out there either so the thinking now is that I need to be in the back woods where I watched him come out a couple of times during deer season. And also, one time, where he howled 40 yards from my setup.
We will meet again.
***
For the next hunt, Friday, Jan. 23, I did make it all the way to the back 40 in behind the house in Monroe County.
Unfortunately, I think all the other errands I ran via the quad, stirred up too much noise.
After having a handful of fall hunts disturbed by oblivious trail walkers from the adjacent property, I finally posted the back lot line with a blessing from the property owner. Enough is enough. Especially when on two high-profile hunts -- opening day and second day of deer firearms season -- the hikers came cruising through without any blaze orange on at all.
It's just plain ridiculous. And disrespectful.
Anyway, again no coyotes came out to play but questions in my mind about whether the H&R .223 was still on were eliminated when I did a little varmint control on a opossum 80 yards out. Dead critter.
I thought that it could provide bait for later in the hunt but later I saw conflicting information on the Internet on whether they'll even go after pink-eyed satin rats.
But by far the highlight of the hunt that afternoon was after I cruised over on the quad to confirm the kill, up flew a snowy owl from the oaks lining the frozen plowed white field. The enormous wingspan was awe-inspiring. The giant owl must have been scoping the opossum the whole time, which was acting strangely by pacing around in circles.
With late winter and milder weather approaching, more hunts await.
Anyway, again no coyotes came out to play but questions in my mind about whether the H&R .223 was still on were eliminated when I did a little varmint control on a opossum 80 yards out. Dead critter.
I thought that it could provide bait for later in the hunt but later I saw conflicting information on the Internet on whether they'll even go after pink-eyed satin rats.
But by far the highlight of the hunt that afternoon was after I cruised over on the quad to confirm the kill, up flew a snowy owl from the oaks lining the frozen plowed white field. The enormous wingspan was awe-inspiring. The giant owl must have been scoping the opossum the whole time, which was acting strangely by pacing around in circles.
With late winter and milder weather approaching, more hunts await.
